Renpener,
I appologise if I offended you, however that WAS what the ImaginEARS that I went to DCA with were saying. Because there is so much arround the park, other businesses, homes, etc. would be effected by the sound of people screaming. Not something that Anaheim residents really wanted. Though that seems silly since they moved right next door to a theme park, but whatever. They had to get city permits for it as well, go check Anaheim records. And being from CA myself and being a rollercoaster junkie myself the guards were a rather unusual site. When I asked about them that was the response that I got. NOT a joke either. Except for the laugh about what the head cheese called them. We have many rides in varrious parks that have a ride almost exactly like this one that do not have, nor need shields too, Knott's is the first that comes to mind. "ALL the cold/hot wind blew in your face like that" is not a factor when you are riding them. And I hate to be a pain, but being a CA native myself, our weather is not all that strange. Florida is strange, but they don't have guards on most of their rides, nor do they have the noise problem that Anaheim has.